Manufacturing and Structure of Rubber Nanocomposites

A comment on the reinforcement of rubber by nanofillers is given, and preparations of soft nanocomposites using rubbery matrixes are described, including a use of natural rubber latex as a starting material. A use of fillers such as carbon black, particulate silica generated in situ and biofiller lignin affords the soft nanocomposites. When lignin and natural rubber are used, a fully biocomposite is obtained. The conventional mechanical mixing and the new soft processing using the latex are compared for manufacturing the rubbery nanocomposites. Their structure and some physical properties are evaluated. In particular, the three-dimensional (3D) dispersion of the nanoparticles in the rubbery matrix is investigated by 3D transmission electron microscopy (3D-TEM). The resultant network structure of the nanoparticles is elucidated as one of the most important factors in determining the reinforcement effects on rubber.